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19 March 2024

Man Utd's Welbeck vs Chicharito: Out in Jan?

Newcastle United's French midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa (2nd L) vies with Manchester United's English striker Danny Welbeck (L) and Japanese midfielder Shinji Kagawa (R) during the English Premier League football match between Newcastle United and Manchester United at Sports Direct Arena in Newcastle, north-east England on October 7, 2012. Manchester United won the game 3-0. (AFP)

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By Staff

Had Manchester United drawn or lost the game – and should the ball have been deemed to have crossed the line from the Papiss Cisse header they would have - Danny Welbeck would have been in the doghouse.

At Old Trafford that generally means no first-team action.

The pace and demands of Manchester United are such that coming back from that place is really tough.

Ask Dimitar Berbatov.

Neymar is likely to be headed to Old Trafford.

This puts Welbeck and Javier Hernandez at risk.

When United were rampant in the first 20 minutes against Newcastle, Danny Welbeck was fed a classy back heel by Johny Evans in the Newcastle ‘D’.

He had only the goal-keeper to beat and all he managed was a shot that even the word ‘feeble’ would be too strong to describe.

Van Persie and Rooney’s movement was creating acres of space for Welbeck as the Newcastle defence were at sixes and sevens.

Worse was to come.

Newcastle keeper Harper got caught by Welbeck trying to play to the ball out of the ‘D’.

Welbeck then rounded the keeper, was caught, but managed to stay on his feet and with the goal gaping at him – put the ball wide in haste.

Welbeck had, shall we say his Andy Cole moment.

Writing in his column for a local daily last week, Cole reminisced about how missing chances in Europe is a death-wish.

Cole brought up the memory of his header miss, 3 yards out, away to Real Madrid and United going out of the Champions League over two legs on goal difference.

Welbeck along with Chicharito, Rooney and Van Persie, were being hailed as the new Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke, Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer -  the four that won the 1999 treble.

It is not clear who is who yet in that comparison, but Welbeck may have already had his Andy Cole moment.

And Fergie may not be willing to wait for a Europe Cup tie to find out.

 Javier Hernandez, meanwhile, the new Ole Gunnar Solskaejer is biding his time patiently.

"We have six points in the Champions League and leading the group so we're doing well," Chicharito told ManUtd.com.

"We gained a lot of confidence from the game we played in the Champions League, taking three points against a very difficult team. All the games in Europe are very tough, especially when you go away."

"I enjoy playing with all my team-mates. But starting for the first time with both Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney... you can imagine how I felt," said Chicharito, with a broad grin. "It was unbelievable because they are both world-class players.

"We have a lot of really good players in the strikers' department. We can play with three, sometimes.”

Or just you, Chicharito.